Bellandur Lake fire: Some areas away from waterbody still burning

The Bellandur Lake according to the Karnataka Lake Development Authority is the largest of the 262 lakes and tanks in Bengaluru and accumulates about forty percent of the city's sewage.

Bengaluru, Jan.19: A fire that broke out in Bengaluru’s infamous Bellandur Lake several hours ago on Friday has not subsided.

According to media reports, residents living on the Yemlur side of Bellandur spotted smoke in the lake known to be full of sewage, chemical effluents and construction debris around noon on Friday. Shortly thereafter, flames started rising.

The Bellandur Lake according to the Karnataka Lake Development Authority is the largest of the 262 lakes and tanks in Bengaluru and accumulates about forty percent of the city’s sewage.

Fire department officials are reportedly making concerted efforts to bring the fire under control under the supervision of KLCDA officials.

The cause of the fire is being attributed to locals burning the grassy land near the lake to get a fresh crop to feed their cattle.

Some areas located away from the waterbody are still burning.

Lakes in Bengaluru have been infamous in the past year after it had formed toxic foam clouds that floated onto nearby roads last year.

The lakes with alarming levels of sewage and chemical effluents had also caught fire several times in the last two years gathering national attention.

The National Green Tribunal which had taken a suo moto case after a similar fire caught its attention had come down heavily on the state government and its agencies and had asked them to take necessary action for reviving the lake.

However, nothing seems to have been done to revive the lake which has been receiving untreated sewage and industrial waste for more than a decade. The cause for earlier fires is said to have been due to the chemicals in the water.